Pop quiz: How many screens does it take to watch television programming? For a growing number of people, the answer is two — a TV, plus a media tablet or mobile smartphone. That may seem counterintuitive, but for many of us (present company included) a mobile “companion” device has become an essential part of the living room TV experience.

According to a Nielsen survey of 12,000 connected device owners, 70 percent of tablet owners and 68 percent of smartphone owners use their devices while watching TV. Tablet owners in particular seem unable to put down the iPad while flipping channels, with respondents saying that nearly a third of the time they spend using their device is in front of the TV.

According to Nielsen’s May survey of mobile consumers in the U.S., 38 percent now own smartphones. And 55 percent of those who purchased a new handset in the past three months reported buying a smartphone instead of a feature phone, up from 34 percent just a year ago.

It projects an interesting scenario for the sports and entertainment industry and service providers. With the proliferation of Smartphone and other mobile devices on 3G/4G networks, tens of thousands of fans attending these events expect the same ubiquitous and consistent data service coverage they are used to receiving elsewhere.

Many venues and service providers have turned to Wi-Fi access to provide cost-effective 3G/4G offload and focus their cellular resources on voice and text services. However, standard Wi-Fi deployments do not sufficiently address these challenges. Careful placement of the access points, use of specific antennas, and unique radio frequency tuning are required.

Today, we are announcing Cisco Connected Stadium Wi-Fi to help stadiums, entertainment venues and service providers significantly increase wireless performance in high-density areas. This solution also helps monetize the delivery of personalized mobile services, demonstrating the fundamental role of the network to enable business transformation.

Last week, Cisco solutions made a big splash across two of television’s hottest shows!

On Tuesday, May 3rd, the main characters on the hit CBS show, NCIS: LA, used the Cisco Cius tablet to help catch the bad guy and solve the case! Using the Cius across multiple scenes, main show characters Sam, Callen, Eric, and Nell use the device for a live video session while docked to analyze clues in the lab, then go mobile with the Cius to continue the video conversation and deliver proof of the crime. If you missed last night’s heart pounding episode, check out a short clip to see the Cius in action: http://videolounge.cisco.com/video/04853b-cius-helps-solve-ncis-la-case/.

This Mother’s Day, May 8th, viewers were be able to see how ūmi, Cisco’s Home TelePresence solution, is allowing people to be together from anywhere. We’re excited to announce that Cisco was a proud participant in Sunday’s episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC. We teamed up with ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to help the Prewitt-Brewer family stay connected with their relatives across the country. Click here to watch a clip from Sunday’s amazing episode: http://home.cisco.com/en-us/telepresence/umi/emhe

Showcasing Cisco products in television and film is an exciting way to demonstrate the powerful impact Cisco solutions can make on business and in the home. Whether you are fighting crime or connecting with your long-distance family on our ever-growing Human Network, Cisco is truly changing the way people work, live, play and learn.

Check out the videos, share your thoughts and let us know what you think!

The ultimate cultural vision of video streaming was laid out in an iconic Qwest TV commercial from 1999. In it, a man wanders into a dusty, remote motel asking about room amenities. It’s not promising. The bored young lady behind the desk recites in an apathetic tone that the beds are all king-size, and the only breakfast offered is donuts and coffee.

But when the man asks about entertainment, that’s a little different. In the same monotone, the girl answers, “All rooms have every movie ever made in every language any time day or night.” It’s taken a while — probably longer than the technoptomists among us expected — but we’re getting closer to that vision.

For one thing, according to a survey recently conducted by Goldman Sachs and reported by HedgeFundLive, 27 percent of Americans now stream TV shows and movies, up from 16 percent in 2010.

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